Today's Tomorrow
by ElspethElf
Summary: Formally known as Safari. Would Daine and Numair be so different in a modern era?
1. Default Chapter

My self-restraint has finally cracked. That or my better judgment. 

I have had an itch to write the dreaded 'modern setting' stories which, for this particular one, is going to be focused on the relationship between Daine and Numair. Its definitely different from my usual writing, and fanciful. Very fanciful.

CC would be helpful.

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**Today's Tomorrow **

**By ElspethElf**

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**Safari **

'And – action!'

A hushed silence fell across the plain as six pairs of eyes all focused on the lone figure – a tall man crouched beside a rock, talking quietly into the camera. Behind him on the grassy plain, lay a family of lions. The mother yawned, white fangs glinting, ignoring the cubs that jumped on top of her, restless in the blistering, African sun.

Among the expedition group were five students, present as a part of their Animal Psychology course from the University of Cambridge. As like all over-sea trips, the students were thrilled at the unexpected holiday. The only catch, they discovered, was the extreme heat and swarms of mosquitoes that plagued air.

Fifteen minutes later, the camera was lowered and a break was called for. The presenter, also Cambridge's youngest lecturer, made his way towards the group of students.

'All right, listen up. There's about one more hour before the lions' hunting time. Use this hour to collect their waste sample and take whatever photographs you need for the assignment. Remember, this is the last chance you'll get with the lions before we move off to the southern regions. Do your work quietly and quickly, don't wander too far – and _no_ petting or feeding them. These lions aren't house cats.'

His last remark seemed to be targeted at one student in particular, a young woman with smoky curls swept back by a headband. She looked up from her notes, blue-grey eyes widening in surprise.

'Professor Salmalín – I would _never_ feed them. That would disrupt their normal diet, causing an unbalance to their digestive system, and in turn, their natural behaviour. _You_ taught us that remember?'

The rest of the students laughed, glancing at their professor's grimace. He shook his head, black horsetail swishing, and waved the crowd of students away.

Daine Sarrasri, the student who had spoken, wandered off quietly, eyes searching the ground. She hummed softly to herself, swatting away occasionally at venturing mosquitoes. Not long, she found what she was looking for.

Three dark-brown lumps of lion faeces.

Carefully, she knelt down and scooped a small section of it with a spatula, and dropped the sample into a plastic bag. This would be used for examining back at home. Sealing the bag, she weighed it in her hand, and made a face when she caught herself thinking how satisfying the job had felt.

Everything done, she made her way towards the plain, half hoping for the lions to have started hunting. Professor Salmalín had forbidden the students to be out in the open during hunting time, even though there was a slim chance of lions approaching their vans.

From a small grass mound, Daine sat down and began making notes, sketching for some parts, the movements and activities of the cubs. She watched, fascinated, as one cub climbed onto the male's head and began guzzling his ear. The female glanced up lazily before getting up to lift it away by the back of its neck. Letting go, she began to wash it, ignoring its small, yapping protests.

Daine smiled, sensing an almost human affection from the female's mothering performance. Watching the lion family, she felt a deep longing for her own mother who was killed in a car accident five years ago.

Shaking her head, Daine forced herself to concentrate on her notes. Heck, her assignment _depended_ on these notes, and after her last coursework, she was not prepared to face Professor Salmalín's lecture again. _No matter how good-looking he may be_, Daine thought, grinning sheepishly.

By the time she returned, everyone was already inside the van, talking and having supper. Taking a seat next to Leila Kyreen, Daine's classmate at Cambridge, she grabbed her food and wolfed it down hungrily.

'What took you so long?' Leila asked between mouthfuls. 'Salmalín thought you had gone nestling with the cubs again.'

Daine made a choking sound into her water. She checked the van – there were two other students in addition to herself – before saying darkly, 'he's always suspicious of me.'

Leila snorted loudly. 'You can hardly blame him. After riding that horse when you were supposed to be checking its hooves, _I_'d be wary of you.'

Daine stuck out her chin. 'He was restless. He had all the signs of a horse deprived of a long gallop. The owner should have noticed.'

Just then, a student from the van gave a shout, pointing out of the window. Daine and Leila peered through the glass, and both sucked the air abruptly.

The female lion, her amber eyes glinting in the setting sun, was staring directly at their van.

A deathly silence washed upon the whole van as everyone froze in a second a panic.

'No…body move,' Daine heard her own voice whisper, low and hoarse. She fixed her eyes on the lion, trying not to blink.

The lion stared back, her body still and poised. There was something grand, an almost _royalty_ with the way she held herself, with her face alert and watching.

Daine couldn't help herself. She blinked and pressed her face against the window.

'_Daine_! Are you ma –'

The lion took a step forward, and in that second, her gaze seemed to pierce straight at Daine. She felt her breath halt and then, out of the ordinary, felt the sudden surge of emotions from the lion: strength, authority and above all else, curiosity.

Then she moved, her nose close to the ground. It took a moment before Daine realised what she was rummaging for: a rucksack that lay several feet away. The lion sniffed at it, opened her mouth and lifted the bag. With one more look at the van, she walked away into the distance.

When she was a safe distance away, the van next to Daine's burst open and Professor Salmalín stormed out looking incensed.

'Who left their bag outside?' he demanded angrily.

The students clambered out, all looking dazed. Zack, a man who operated the cameras, spoke out guiltily.

'That was the camera bag,' he said, looking pleadingly at Professor Salmalín. 'I…I didn't think the lions would dare come this near, so I just left it out for a second.'

'What else is in there?'

'The equipments and…. and all the tapes we've done on this trip.'

There was a dismayed cry from the students. All of their vital tapes and films, not to mention part of Professor Salmalín's documentary record, were in the stolen bag.

'What are we going to do?' Someone asked anxiously. 'We _need_ those stuff. The photos and all the data – '

'I am aware of the bag's importance, James.' Professor Salmalín's voice was cutting, his eyes shut in a frown. After several moments of silence, he headed for the van, saying he needed to think.

Daine watched him enter the van and counted to ten before following. Inside, she found him by the table, a large map and their schedule plan spread across it.

'Can we wait until tomorrow?' Daine asked, 'maybe the lions will leave the bag and wonder off.'

Professor Salmalín shook his head. 'If we hope to reach the Fall by sunrise to see the feeding, we have to move in a few hours.'

'Perhaps they will loose interest with it?'

He shook his head again. 'That's unlikely. Even if they do, they would have torn the contents to shreds. I just…I don't understand _why_ she came so close, and why she took the bag.'

Daine rolled her eyes. 'She probably smelt food in it. Zack's _always_ storing sweets in the pockets.'

Professor Salmalín shook his head again and turned back to the schedule. 'There is no other option, our schedules is too tightly packed. We'll wait for two hours maximum, and if nothing happens, we'll have to move. Our best chance is finding a camera for sale at the local town, and just do the best we can.'

Daine looked out of the window, frustrated at the turn of events. If they left, their last three days of hard work would all have been for nothing.

'When the lions are fed, what are the likelihood of another hunt?'

'Not high,' Professor Salmalín replied distractedly. 'Their usual pattern after a feeding is to rest as their metabolic r – why do you ask?' He looked up sharply, then swore when he realised Daine was gone.

Jumping on to his feet, he grabbed a tranquilliser gun and bolted out after her.

He reached her one moment too late. Crouching down, he saw Daine's still figure, her eyes fixed steadily at the lion that lay only a few feet away. The female was by herself, sitting on her front – and the bag – it rested securely between her front paws.

He had to breathe several times to calm his nerves. Gritting his teeth, he risked a low hiss.

'Daine! What the hell are you playing at?'

His eyes darted towards the lion. By sheer luck, her family was still out hunting, and her stance did not suggest aggression. He risked a louder whisper.

'Get _back_ here, do you hear me?'

She appeared not to have heard.

'This is an order! _Daine!_ I swear I will _remove_ you from the course if you don't back off now!'

In response, Daine took another step forward.

Swearing under his breath, Professor Salmalín brought the gun slowly to his face. He waited, finger pressed against the trigger.

Daine approached silently, her mind numb, and her body denying each movement. All she knew and felt was the pair of amber eyes that studied her.

Carefully, she took step after cautious step, until she was an arm's reach from the female lion. Dimly she registered the amazing truth that she was still in one piece.

Keeping her movement unhurried, she lowered herself down until she was in equal height.

This close, Daine felt again the breath-taking rush of mutual connection with the mighty predator. Strangely calm, she reached forwards for the bag.

'This is mine,' she whispered, her eyes never leaving the wild beast. Gripping the strap, she held her breath and pulled.

To her immense surprise and relief, the lion gave no resistance. She simply looked at her, her gaze neutral and, Daine kidded herself to think, regarding her as an equal.

Somehow, quite absurdly, Daine was sure an understanding passed between them. Gingerly, she lifted her hand and very slowly, stroked the rough fur on her neck. A low rumbling sounded deep in her throat, and to Daine's astonishment, she felt warm tongue running across her palm.

It was with the same affection of washing her cubs that the lion licked Daine's hand.

Not daring to breath and unexplainably touched, Daine whispered, 'thank you' before slowly backing away.

She walked backwards, a step at a time, both hands clasped tightly against the bag that she had reclaimed. Once she was far enough, she felt two strong hands snake around her waist and was pulled roughly backwards.

Steadying her by the arms, Professor Salmalín more or less dragged her as far and as quickly away from the lion.

'What the hell possessed you?' He demanded furiously once they reached safe grounds, 'are you bloody out of your mind? That lion could have killed you! For –' His next string of exclamation made Daine look up in interest.

'I didn't know used words like that.'

Ignoring her comment, he rounded on her. A nerve twitched at his temple.

'I don't think you understand the enormity of your actions,' he said gravely, shaking his head in a manner all Professors excelled at. 'You have put yourself in moral danger as well as breaking every single rule that you have agreed before the trip. Do you realise I could fail you from this assignment, not to mention the whole syllabus?'

Daine shrugged her arm away in annoyance. 'I just saved half our expedition's work, _and_ your filming! You should be thanking me, not threatening my grade! And anyhow, I didn't _get_ killed, and if you were watching close enough, you would have seen that she actually licked my hand, which, might I add, is a behaviour almost _impossible_ for wild animals.'

There followed a small silence, broken only by Professor Salmalín's frustrated and perplexed sighs. He drew a disgruntled hand across his hair.

'It _should_ have been impossible,' he murmured distractedly, 'had I not seen it myself, I would never have believed you.'

Abruptly, he stopped and turned to his student, eyes narrowing suspiciously. 'I've noticed you have always been a little…' He paused, searching for the most suitable word while Daine raised her eyebrows expectantly.

'…_funny_, when it came to animals. Professor Drayton would tell you that animals can detect a certain quality, almost like a scent, in some humans, which they identify as their own kind, or equals.'

'No doubt he would have a field day if he was here,' Daine replied, and then looked up, a little worried. 'You're not serious about failing me, are you?'

'I'm thinking about it,' he replied darkly. 'I'm not used to seeing years of scientifically reliable theories break in front of my very eyes.'

Daine _thought_ that meant a no. 'Look, I'll write a report about it, if you like,' she offered. 'Treat is as a kind of…primary research. And if it proves to be something significant, you are welcome to give me an A.'

Professor Salmalín turned his head and looked at her oddly. There was a loud shout overhead and the caravan door burst open. Students poured out, all speaking at once.

Professor Salmalín took the questions all in, answering them in one fluid sentence.

' – Yes, everything is fine, we have got the bag back, and no, James – I did not _wrestle_ with the lion.'

Waving a hand vaguely, Professor Salmalín climbed into a van, giving orders for students to get ready to leave.

'What happened?' Leila hissed loudly, 'James saw you take off, and then Salmalín followed with that gun. We thought you were going to retrieve the bag single-handed.'

'I did,' Daine replied, suddenly feeling exhausted. She ignored the incredulous looks of her fellow team, and dumped the bag into Zack's hand.

'Here's the bag. Its not damaged, but, you might want to stop putting food in there in future.'

Half an hour later, the vans were on the move, tumbling slightly against the bumpy soil. In the distance, the day was beginning to set, and far towards the horizon, just where the sun touched the earth, was a silhouette of four lions.

One stood poised and calm, and as the van curved along the dirt track, Daine saw the gleam of light reflecting against amber eyes.


	2. Brief Synapse

I never thought starting A-levels would be so time-consuming. And exhausting. And stressful. What with battling work and organizing a school magazine, I have hardly had time to think about my writing.

I'm not sure why, but I just can't seem to get into Seven Sins at the moment. I'm guessing it's due to the lengthy period where touching the keyboard was an effort.

Anyway, I thought I'd get back into writing by continuing with this. I was originally going to keep this a standalone, but plots have been nagging at me lately.

Err, having said that, I _still_ don't think I will continue after this chapter as I intend to keep it relatively short.

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**Today's Tomorrow**

**By ElspethElth**

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**Brief Synapse **

The classroom meowed, or rather, the nine cats that protested loudly in arching backs and hisses darted around the room, skimming against hands that tried, unsuccessfully, to catch them.

It was the afternoon veterinary session for the class of N16, and things were not going smoothly. It was not really a surprise, for things rarely went according to plan when animals were involved. Especially frolicsome, bored, irritated cats that have been disturbed out of their cages four times already that morning.

Presently a loud yowl erupted from one corner of the classroom; a young man nursed his arm as he attempted to record the weight of a fussy, grey cat. Another hiss brought two students running to stop two Toms from a potential fight.

In painfully plain words, the class was one, hopeless mess.

Professor Salmalín groaned, rubbing his temples to rid his ears of the cats' cries. His head hurt, and his eyesight was beginning to complain at the darting masses that streaked from the corners of his eyes.

Kneeling beside a table, he waited, and then grabbed at the white ball of fur as it shot past him. The cat gave a squall of protest as he caught it and placed it back into the cage. It was no great achievement, for the cat had a fractured paw and was a hobble slower than the rest of its feline friends.

'Professor, over there!'

Professor Salmalín turned and caught another cat that was trotting briskly on the desk. Lifting it off the table, and averting his face away from the animal's curious tongue, he was harassed to see the classroom door open and close with a loud bang.

'Daine, why are you late?' he asked as he struggled to pry the cat's sharp claws from his shirt. 'Class started fifteen minutes ago.'

'I know, I know,' the young woman, cheeks flushed and eyes wide, replied breathlessly as she hurried to remove her bag and coat. Taking a large folder out of her bag, she offered it to her teacher.

'It's the Africa coursework. I remembered I've forgotten it halfway to class, and had to go back to fetch it,' she explained, still a little out of breath. 'That's why I was late.'

Not in the least moved by her excuse, Professor Salmalín lowered the cat into Daine's arms and took her folder. He scanned through the contents.

Daine cuddled the furry creature, making soft noises as she rocked it gently. The cat purred luxuriously, and Daine smiled, bringing her face close to the animal where she planted a soft kiss on its head.

'Don't kiss him like that,' Professor Salmalín looked up from him notes. 'Its not very hygienic. This is the extra report on the lions?'

Daine nodded, her curls bouncing.

'You have written a novel.'

'They're all very interesting,' the student insisted, staring at him with large eyes.

'I don't doubt that. I will certainly look forward to reading it. In the meantime –' Professor Salmalín shut the folder and took one, long, critical look at her, '–You may go work with one of the cats now – this one, if you like. Since you are fifteen minutes behind everyone else, I expect you will wish to stay behind after class to make up for the time lost.'

'Yes, Professor,' Daine sighed meekly, rolling her eyes behind a lock of hair.

'Don't roll you eyes, Daine. Its not a pleasant activity.'

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'I'll see you in class tomorrow.'

'Yes, see you.'

Daine gave a small nod as her friend, Leila, tapped her gently on the shoulder. Giving a little wave, she swung her bag across her shoulder and left the room.

Daine wiped her forehead and took down her final sets of notes: the cat's weight, temperature, eye, tongue and claw conditions. The work was simple, and Daine, who never had trouble getting animals to behave, enjoyed the practical sessions above all others. Murmuring softly to the cat she had been working on, she stroked the animal's neck and gently placed it into its cage.

Professor Salmalín looked up from his desk as he heard the snap of the latch.

'All done?' he asked, standing up to gather a stack of papers.

Daine nodded. Quietly she packed away the equipments and washed her hands. On her way back to her desk, a tiny meow caught her attention and she turned to see one of the cage door swaying, unlatched. A cat, the fluffy white with the fractured paw, sniffed and nudged the door open.

'We can't have you running around the lab,' Daine said softly, and walked towards the cage. Gently, she lifted the cat into her arms.

A sudden energy within her body lurched violently, making her sway. Her visions flashed and grew dark. She staggered backwards, feeling her legs give way.

'Daine?'

Professor Salmalín saw her fall just as the white cat leaped away from her arm and darted across the room, as quick and agile as can be. The teacher hurried forwards, kneeling beside Daine. He put one arm against her back, supporting her upwards into a sitting position.

'I'm fine,' Daine gasped, feeling sick. She squeezed her eyes, trying to shake out the bright spots of light that danced behind her eyelids. Professor Salmalín did not seem to believe her.

'Are you diabetic? Any allergies? Asthma?'

'No. None of those…'

'Tuck your head down, between your knees.'

Daine groaned. 'Where did the cat go?'

'Never mind the cat, do as you are told. And take big breaths.'

Daine obeyed, breathing deeply as she rested her head against her knees. She felt Professor Salmalín's arm pressing firmly against her back.

'I'm fine now, really,' she said after a while, and lifted her head. Turning, she caught his eyes: dark, ominous and concerned. She managed a weak smile.

'I missed lunch today. I guess I just felt faint.'

A loud thud towards her left made both student and teacher turn, in time to see the cat jump from the tabletop on to the floor. There it washed its fur daintily.

'I thought he had a injured paw!' Daine wondered aloud, blinking hard.

'So did I,' replied Professor Salmalín, his voice oddly strained. Daine looked at him quickly. Try as she might, she could not guess what went on behind his dark eyes, and she was more than discomforted to notice the silent and thoughtful manner in which he regarded her. Presently he said, 'Can you walk by yourself? You own a student's room here, yes?'

Gingerly Daine stood up, making sure her legs were still fully functional. She shook her head.

'No, in Heathersfield.'

'That's hours away!' Professor Salmalín stared at her, startled.

Daine's smile was wry. 'Rent's cheaper.'

Walking over to the table, she slipped into her warm coat, slinging her bag over one shoulder. She watched as Professor Salmalín coaxed the cat from the top of a filing cabinet. When the animal was securely inside the cage, he turned around – and seemingly struggled with himself.

'I can…give you a lift home, I suppose,' he said hesitantly, uncertainly, debating as much to himself as to her.

Daine correctly guessed his indecision. 'Its all right,' she said lightly, making for the door. 'I need the fresh air and the exercise. And besides,' – her voice because very dry, 'I'd hate it if you lost your job because of me.'

Relieved, and a little more than amused, Professor Salmalín nodded. 'In that case, I will see you tomorrow. Drink plenty of water, and _eat_ your lunch in future. I don't want you fainting in class.' With another nod, he dismissed her. As Daine opened the door and stepped out, he called, 'Oh, and Daine?'

'Yes?' She turned, catching his quiet, watching eyes.

'Don't be late next time.'


End file.
